Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 55: Not the Only One

Chapter 55: Not the Only One

Arabella hid her grin as she asked Aletha to tell Renee to bring tea and cookies to her office. She gave Aletha another task so Alwin wouldn’t be suspicious.

Alwin removes his cloak if he sits for tea so Renee would be able to see his face. This was her opportunity to divert Renee’s obsession to Alwin.

It would ease plenty of her fears and worries if Renee obsessed over Alwin’s beauty instead of hers.

[Why that maid of all people? Should I keep my cloak on?]

Arabella tilted her head when she heard Alwin’s thought.

’Does he have something against Renee?’

[Ah, well. She doesn’t know me yet anyway. She hadn’t done anything suspicious as well.] Alwin thought and made his cloak vanish.

’He’s watching Renee?!’

Arabella raised a brow. She wondered what Alwin knew about Renee for him to be suspicious of her. She had also been closely observing Renee and the latter had been obedient and docile.

Except for the fact that Renee keeps staring at her when she had nothing to do and thinking all sorts of things about her, appreciating even the way her nails look, or even how her lips move when she speaks.

It was rather disconcerting and uncomfortable at first but Arabella was getting used to it.

"Your Majesty, I have brought tea and cookies," Renee knocked at the door.

There was no time to think. For now, what Arabella needed was for Renee to see Alwin. And here he was shining like the rarest gem of the world looking effortlessly exquisitely beautiful.

"Come in," Arabella said and Rendell opened the door as Renee pushed a trolley with tea and cookies.

Renee was speechless upon seeing Alwin’s face. Renee was about to pick up the teacups when she glanced at Alwin.

[!!!]

Renee froze as if a spell was cast on her to be unable to move.

[How divinely beautiful!]

Renee just stared at Alwin with so much adoration and worship in her eyes. Her eyes were almost turning to hearts. It was love at first sight.

[I have never seen a person this beautiful before. Is he a god?!]

Arabella stopped herself from smirking as Alwin cleared his throat when began to feel uncomfortable with Renee’s continuous gaze.

[What is she staring at me for?! Should I wear my cloak again? But she doesn’t know I am a magician yet. There’s no need to give her any information for free.]

Alwin glared at Renee when the latter still did not stop staring.

[Our eyes met?!!]

But Renee was too taken to even notice it was a glare.

[What a beautiful shade of blue! His eyes look like the clear blue sky. But his eyes were even prettier. They look like jewels. I can gaze at him forever.]

Renee was so taken with Alwin’s beauty that she forgot all about her manners or pretense.

[How can there be someone this beautiful? I want to be his wife. Can’t I? I wish I can gaze at him every single day.]

Renee had a lot more appreciative, outrageous, and obsessive thoughts about Alwin after just seeing him this once.

Arabella’s plan was a success. Renee did not even spare her a glance because her eyes were glued to Alwin the whole time.

’To make ladies fall for you in a single glance, what a scary ability you have, Alwin.’

It was no wonder he needed to hide his face with his cloak most of the time.

[She’s just enjoying this?! Shouldn’t she discipline her maid for being rude to a guest?] Alwin frowned at her.

’Fine. My plan has worked already,’ Arabella relented.

"Renee, my guest and I have something to speak about. Please pour us some tea and clear the room," Arabella said as gently as she could but Renee still flinched.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Please pardon my rudeness."

[Right! I have to serve tea first. But this man is Her Majesty’s guest?! Could she be having an affair? Or is he her former lover? I heard he was beautiful and feminine. Could this be him? She met with her former lover while His Majesty is away?]

It was Arabella’s turn to flinch at Renee’s wild thoughts. Moreover, Andrew was indeed feminine and handsome but Alwin’s beauty was simply too out of this world to compare. Further, Ferdinand was also more attractive than Andrew but in a different way.

"Please call me whenever you need anything, Your Majesty. I’ll be standing by the door," Renee had a last glance at Alwin.

[Will I be able to see him again? How could she kick me out at a time like this? Does she want to monopolize his beauty all to herself? How sinful! I want a piece of him too. Can’t I just stay here and let my eyes feast while they speak?]

Alwin’s brows further furrowed but Renee still appreciated how his thick brows looked beautiful even when he frowns, instead of thinking about the discomfort she was making him feel.

’Of course not! Alwin is already getting moody. I still have a lot to ask him.’

"Renee," Arabella gently said in a warning tone when Renee kept gazing at Alwin.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I’ll be leaving now." Renee reluctantly walked out of her office.

[How shameless could she be to stare at a man for such a long time?!]

Alwin sighed in relief once the door was shut.

"I’m so sorry for my maid’s behavior. It’s her first time working as a maid so she’s quite nervous when I am with guests she has never seen before," Arabella half-lied.

[She shouldn’t be making excuses for her maid. Is she telling me to just bear with it?]

"It’s okay," Alwin spoke differently from what he had in mind. He took a sip of his tea still with a look of annoyance.

[Wait! If it’s that maid she could have done something to the tea.]

Alwin’s eyes glowed as he used magic to scan the tea and cookies.

[Hm. Nothing seems to be amiss. It’s too dangerous to keep her around but I need to know who’s behind her first.]

Arabella froze at Alwin’s thoughts. He knew that Rene might do something to the tea and cookies.

’What’s going on? Was Renee already doing something at this time? Is she already meeting with that Marcus guy? Did Alwin catch her trying to do something before?’

Arabella realized she had to be even more careful of Renee than she already was.

She tried to look at Alwin in the eyes to get a glimpse of what he was thinking about but he was busy inspecting the teapot and trolley Renee had brought in with her.

"Is something the matter?" Arabella decided to ask to catch his attention. Alwin cast a spell at the door before replying to her.

"No. The maid just now was a bit suspicious so I decided to check."

[Should I warn her so she would not be taken in by the maid again?]

’Again?’

"Is something wrong with my maid?"

"I’m not sure yet. I would have to investigate first. But it’s best for Your Majesty to be wary around her. Treat her as usual but do not trust her with anything important."

[This should be enough so she wouldn’t become close with that maid, right? I said the words directly so there was nothing to misunderstand. Raymond said she was quite intellectual so one warning should be enough.]

"I see. Thank you. She was often staring at me without saying a word so I was honestly feeling a bit uncomfortable with her."

Arabella was grateful he was looking out for her. But his thoughts were also weird and suspicious.

[As you should. Or else you would be manipulated and fooled by her again.] Alwin thought and Arabella was wide-eyed.

’!!!’

She gazed deep into Alwin’s eyes and gasped when she saw her bloodstained body at the magic tower staring straight into Alwin with a look of conceitedness in her supposedly amber, but then, black eyes.

’That’s when Renee took over my body!’

Arabella gulped as she stared at Alwin. She discovered something important.

Alwin had memories of the past too. He knew about the former her, Ferdinand, and Renee.

She thought about how Alwin had been behaving around her since she was reborn and it all fits.

’I see. No wonder he was suddenly so hostile to me when he had always been respectful in the past when I just married Ferdinand.’

[Why is she turning pale? Did she get so scared so easily? Or did that maid do something before?]

"Your Majesty? Are you alright? Did that maid do or say anything weird to you?"

"Uhm, no. I’m sorry. Just recalling how she just keeps staring at me sometimes gave me the shivers," she half-lied.

’He is keeping a close eye on me so I wouldn’t repeat my mistakes, right? Does he remember everything?’

Arabella didn’t know what happened with the ritual. All she knew was what she learned after the last dream of the past she had more than a month ago. Ever since then, she hadn’t gotten another dream about the past.

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A/N:

Hi everyone! Thank you for reading this book.

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